A visit to the Willamette National Cemetery

The Mr., The Bean, and I took a drive through the Willamette National Cemetery this past week. We always wondered how the view of the Cascades was in this area and boy, were we in for quite a delight. The grounds of the cemetery are maintained by the government and only military personnel and spouses are buried here. The grass, bushes, flowers, and even the view is spectacular. It really is a nice place to show honor to the men and women that gave their all to give us what we have today. The Mr. and I were so pleased to be able to show The Bean this area before Fourth of July. It really put the entire holiday into a different light for all three of us.

Views of downtown Portland from the west side of the grounds.

View of Mount Hood from the south end of the grounds.

View of Mount St. Helens from the north end of the grounds. 

There is an area near the entrance that you can look up a grave. There are so many men and women buried here that the areas are marked off in sections. And this view is just one of the sections. It's really heartbreaking how many people have lost their lives due to war, but at least this place gives them the respect they truly deserve.

Oregon Korean War Memorial Wall

Honoring the men and women (nurses) from Oregon that served in the Korean War.

It's a beautiful area. If you have a bucket list, you might consider adding this one to it.

Out of respect, I did not take pictures of the graves-any that show up in the background was purely accidental.

Friday things

Things that made this week a bit of alright.

1. Afternoon golf

The Mr., The Bean, and I went to the driving range this week to practice our drives. The Bean is hitting harder and harder these days and pretty much has better form than The Mr. and I put together. We are really proud of him for a lot of things recently and his golf is one.

2. Nighttime badminton.

The Mr. and The Bean have been having afternoon badminton challenges lately. We lit the net up to be able to see the game better in the evening, and the games have continued long into the night.

3. Our garden.

 What a delight it is

  When, of a morning,

  I get up and go out

  To find in full bloom a flower

  That yesterday was not there. 

TACHIBANA AKEMI

(1812-68)

We have always had some sort of garden each year, but this year I am so thrilled. We have been reading a lot about Monsanto issues and decided to clean up our habits from the ground up. We purchased all USDA Organic seeds, or starts, and pulled out anything that wasn't organic. We literally started over from scratch and made changes that will last. The Mr. and I have included our habits into what foods we buy and what goes into our bodies. We have decided to purchase only foods that are USDA Organic, including drinks. Call us conspiracy theorist, but The Mr. has lost 40 pounds and I have lost 30. We feel good, have more energy, and also our moods are more positive. If you haven't read about Monsanto/Bayer, you might want to take a minute to read. My most recent tweet on Twitter is how we feel about the company completely.

What's the best way to control a population of people? Answer: @MonsantoCo and @BayerPharma #donotbetricked

— South North South (@sh3lly) June 30, 2017

If you're concerned about Monsanto/Bayer the first thing you can do is stop using any Roundup products in your lawn, or garden. You can read more about it here, right off the Monsanto site.

4. These packages.

The first one was this month's Mighty Nest packages. The glass lunch container with the orange lid was their monthly gift, but the other was a lunch container The Mr. wanted to replace his regular lunch container. We have completely cut out regular plastics in our home. BPA-free plastic lids are the only exception right now. We eventually want to become waste-free in our home and these changes are getting us in the right direction. You can sign up for Mighty Nest here and get a monthly item that will help you change your habits one item at a time.

This package was given to The Mr. for his service to the community for being a fire fighter. The package was given to him from Operation Gratitude. The Mr. was really grateful for the gift and felt humbled by the fact that Operation Gratitude thought of him in such a way. We are extremely proud of The Mr. for the years he has put in with the fire department and putting his life on the line to save others. Thank you, Operation Gratitude.

5. This telephone

The Bean finally got his 1950s hotel rotary phone back from the Old Phone Shop. The wires for the wall outlet had come loose in the mail and the repair man is shipping a new cord out to us. We can't wait to plug it in and use it for day-to-day calls on our landline. It will be such a neat treat to hear it ring and make calls on it. I'll update once we get the new cord.

Have a great weekend!

Friday things

Another Friday things, so here it is. Things that made this week great.

1. These strawberries.

2. The Mr.

A week after being hit by a car while riding his bike and he is still nursing some battle scars. He only complains once in a great while about the sourness, but overall he is healing up quite well. And our Facebook group page for advocacy in the town we live in is coming along well. Join us here.

3. These boxes.

Yogi Surprise is one of my absolute favorite things to receive in the mail each month. This month's boxes were mind-blowing. The Lifestyle box came with some great things, but my favorite thing was the herbs from High Mowing Seeds. Perfect timing for them too, as we were in the process of planting our herb garden that weekend. (You can pick up a Yogi Surprise box here; You'll love it!)

4. This view.

I couldn't help but love this picture. The Bean and I snapped this one, while on a walk. We weren't headed to the chocolate company here, but we "had" to have some hand-dipped chocolates. The chocolate company is called Victorian Chocolate Company.

5. This thought.

We are still working toward a minimal household. I feel like we get rid of a car-load of stuff each week. It's amazing how much stuff you can accumulate over the years. Random stuff that really shouldn't have been purchased in the first place. But this is a start and we are staying on track toward a better life. Looking forward to being where we need to be. You can follow along with me each Monday on my Instagram here and see what the focus is for that week on going minimal. 

Have a great weekend!

Friday things

We have had quite a week here at the SNS House, which is now been renamed "the thicket" by our son-The Bean-that goes by The Deer sometimes. His imagination is amazing! So here at "the thicket" we have been up to some fun and interesting things since summer is coming in slowly here in the valley. The Bean broke out his telescope a few nights ago and we took a look at the night sky for a few hours. Even though we live here around city lights we were able to see a few things, one major sight was Jupiter to the south of us. The Bean was naming constellations left and right to us and we were all just amazed at how clear some stars, moons, and planets were coming in. We had a few other adventures under our belts this week and so glad to see the sun making an appearance. Here are the things that made this week great!

1. This View.

As stated above, we viewed the night sky through the telescope and saw Jupiter and a lot of great constellations around us. Just a side note: There is an app you can get for your smart device (phone, tablet, etc.) that will allow you to view the sky and help pinpoint what's out there. It's called Skyview and it's free to download on iTunes and Google Play.

The images it gives are pretty detailed.

Jupiter and the Virgo.

2. This Trip.

We took a little side trip this week to do a little fishing once the lake was opened and restocked with trout. We didn't get a bite, but there were a lot of people that seemed to have the same idea we did. We did find us a hidden fishing location on the lake, but we all agreed that we would much rather fish the river in the future. Nonetheless, we had a good time enjoying the sunshine and getting out of town for a bit.

3. Summer Road Trips.

We have been kicking around the idea on whether to take a road trip down to San Francisco for birthdays this year, but when it comes right down to it, all three of us just don't really want to go. We are still trying to figure out where to take our big birthday trip, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, check out our hashtag #snsroadtrips to see where we've been and where we go in the future.

4. This Bike.

The Bean has had this for a few weeks and I have been neglecting to mention it. He finally got him a Raleigh bike and he is loving it. He leaves The Mr. and I in the dust when he flies by us. We are so glad he was able to get a new one before summer official hit. Can't wait to break this baby in on some trails soon. Just a heads up, too: The Mr. was struck by a car while we were riding a few days ago. He is healing fine, and after a quick hospital visit we found out that he has no broken bones (thank goodness). I wanted to share this just to bring attention to how dangerous it is for bicyclers on any type of roadway. The Mr. and I have decided to start a bike advocacy group in our town so we can bring awareness to the bicycling community about how important it is to always ride defensively. The Mr. has some bumps and bruises and is otherwise alright, but it could have been a lot worse. If you are an avid bicycler, like us, please always be on your guard no matter where you are. The car that hit The Mr. drove away and left him on the roadway. I think that part hurts us the most. So please be careful out there. If you are interested in joining our group, please check out the Facebook page here.

5. This Old Doggie. 

The old man of the fur family will be getting himself a wagon soon so he can still come on long walks with us. The poor guy is 16-years-old and is starting to show signs of arthritis in his hips. He is so eager to go on walks, but about halfway he starts getting tired and needs to be carried. We think a wagon will be just what he needs. I will share soon.

Have a great weekend!